Page 639 - Neglected Arabia (1906-1910)

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A native boat manned by its half naked negro*, 'chanting their
weird Oriental song, with each heave of the ropes, brings us to shallow nn
water, where we mount the backs of donkeys and so reach dry land. vn
It is not \ery far -from our landing place to the Mission Compounds, n-
but our walk will give us many glimpses of Bahrein life, \Ve arc 'g
soon in the very heart of the bazaar, winding our way through the
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narrow, dirty, illsmelling streets, lined with open shops and booths Ml
where bearded Arabs are drinking coffee and exposing their cheap i lm- . ro
ported wares for sale. \\ c are followed by a mob of staring, noisy, s.
men and boys. A loud voice calls in Arabic, “Get out of the wav/' and ■e
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LANDING FROM THE STEAMER.

we line up along the side of the street to let a large camel pass, with
his load of goat skins filled with water, We mop our brows and
wonder if our pith hats and umbrellas are really enough protection
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r against the relentless rays of the tropical sun. If you could only
have come in March or April you would have pronounced the Bahrein
climate delightful!
Now we have left the bazaar, and make our way along a maze of
paths between bare crumbly native houses of mud and coral, among
hundreds of squatty mud huts, now past wells where jesting, splashing
crowds of men and negro women wash their clothes, bathe, and then
carry away skins of water for drinking purposes. We pass dignified i
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: Arab men with their erect stature and flowing robes, shrouded un-
. recognizable women, and little children, dressed gaily or not at all. The

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